Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-06-09

the Joy and gratitude, which on that
day swell the National heart to burst
ing are tempered by grief which.
though subdued by time. becomes
pregnant with the approach of each
Memorial Day. No monument to the
dead heroes, though heaven-sweeping
in grandeur, though bearing the i'm.
press of genius and carved with the
chisel of inspiration itself, could so
simply, so effectually, so sublimely.
keep them in memory as does this sol
emn funeral festival at which all the
emotions of the human heart are swept
by undying memory.
AS an EOlian harp responds to the
wind with burst of mournful melody.
so do our hearts, at this time, stirred
by association. stirred by the sympa-
thy which binds together the great
brotherhood of the bereaved, and,
more than all, moved by the old yet
ever new story of the martyrdom OF the
dead soldier, so do our hearts give
forth mournful, yet sweet and exalted.
tribute to the memory of the dead. A
year ago tears fell over the same
graves, hearts throbbed at the same re-
citals which are heard on every
Memorial Day. A year hence it will
be the same. The quick responsive
American heart, while it thrObs, will
venerate Memorial Day with an in
cense of signs and tears.
'How they so softly rest
All the holy dead"
The name of INN who fills soldiers
grave is holy to us now. He who left
home, wife or parents, rushing brave
ly, buoyantly and unquestioningly to
the call of his country, has borne the
pangs of martyrdom and shall he not.
too, bear the glory of it? Il say unto
you, no man can do more than this
that he lay down his life for friend"
Down from the great Teacher of the
world came echoing these words which
place the soldier among the great of
the earth: he laid down his 'ife for
home and country-he hal lone what
he could.
1t does not seem 4 quarter of
century since they whose names con-
front us on marble tablets were
among lis, fired with the earnestness
and valor of patriotism. Though not
remembered with the rancor of old,
those days will never be forgotten.
Babes yet unborn will, for generations,
be told the thrilling story of those
years. The women and children who
stayed at home waiting, with white
lips and palpitating hearts. for news
from the seat of war-these are the
ones upon whose hearts are engraved
memories which are indelible, and
which shall flow in the life-blood
of their children's children. Oh those
days of waiting and wishing! Have
they ever. can they ever, be pictured
graphically enough? The rushing
about of troops-the recruiting offices,
with their constant excitement, the
preparations of supplies by willing
hands, the letters full of cheer from
the front. the waiting for the dreaded
newspaper after the battle. when the
long lists of killed, wounded and miss
ing were devoured with wide-eyed and
expectant horror. the dull, cold
anguish. only to be Outlived by years,
which came when a loved name was
found in these fatal lists. Will the
children of those days ever forget
these things. or their children after
them? Even at this day, who can
hear the melancholy music of the fife
and drum without recalling the SOL
dier's funeral, the muffled drum, the